Few holidaymakers make the effort to learn local laws before travelling abroad although most believe it would be useful to do so, according to a survey.

As many as 70% said researching local laws and customs would make their holiday more enjoyable, but fewer than half would actually make this part of their preparations, the survey by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) showed.

UK tourists can get hauled up on foreign ground for unlikely offences such as driving a dirty car in Russia, wearing camouflage clothing in Barbados and jaywalking in the US.

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70% of holidaymakers believe learning local laws would be useful but less than half look them up before they fly

Other offences include entering a church or mosque with arms and legs uncovered in Italy or Turkey and leaving the beach in swimwear in Majorca or Barcelona.

The FCO survey of 1,000 people also listed new local laws that have been introduced abroad this year.